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News from The Mainichi Daily News

1. Ways of looking at snow - As director of the Institute for Comparative Cultural Studies at Josai International University, I often ask myself the question: What is it to compare cultures? The answer always brings me to a basic contradiction: cultures differ, but people are the same.
2. Relocation of Futenma base must not be neglected in review of US force realignment - The issue of relocating U.S.
3. Edano key person in Japan's nuclear future, but keeps true intentions hidden - Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yukio Edano recently revealed in a magazine interview that the prime minister for whom he holds the highest regard is Kantaro Suzuki.
4. The courage to see beyond prejudice - The people we meet in life sometimes inspire us and, through their example, change us forever.
5. Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Saying yes to grief is a step to recovery - Separation from family, being diagnosed with a serious disease, a sudden natural calamity -- life is full of bitter experiences.

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1. Japan Adopts Stealth Intervention as Yen Gains Hurt Growth - Japan used so-called stealth intervention in November as the government sought to stem yen gains that hammered earnings at makers of exports ranging from cars to electronics.
2. Japan’s Topix Extends Three-Month High as Japan Tobacco Advances - 　Japan’s Topix Index extended a three- month high after Japan Tobacco Inc. raised its forecast and shipping lines climbed as cargo rates rebounded. Gains were limited as Greek politicians negotiated terms for a bailout.
3. Japan Adopts Stealth Intervention as Yen Gains Hurts Growth - Japan sold its currency five times in the final quarter of last year, the Ministry of Finance said on its website today, as the government moved to shield exporters’ earnings from the impact of yen gains.
4. Japanese Government Has Launched "JAPAN NEXT" Campaign - The Government of Japan has held "Cool Japan Presentation with KODO" as part of "JAPAN NEXT" campaign on February 4-5 in Munich, Germany. "JAPAN NEXT" campaign is designed to expre
5. US, Japan mull sending 4,700 Marines to Guam - The United States and Japan, hoping to break a stalemate over the U.S. military presence on Okinawa, are discussing a plan to transfer nearly 5,000 troops to Guam despite their failure to replace a major Marine base on the southern Japan island.

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1. World economy's uncharted territory - "The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there." — L.P. Hartley, English novelist
   It must now be obvious that, economically speaking, we're in another country. Things we once took for granted no longer apply; things we never imagined occur all the time. We've entered a zone of ignorance where familiar experience and ideas count for less. "Thirty years ago, if you'd said that the United States and Europe were going to be the centers of financial crises, people would have thought you were crazy," says economist Fred Bergsten. The unforeseen is now routine.

   
   

   
   
2. Marubeni gets major Angolan order - Marubeni Corp. said Tuesday it has received a $650 million order from the government of Angola for a plant to produce sugar and ethanol from sugarcane.
   The plant will be built in Cunene, southern Angola, with an annual production capacity at about 400,000 tons of sugar and some 40 million liters of ethanol. It will cover most of the sugar demand in the country that currently depends fully on imports for its sugar supply, the company said.

   
   

   
   
3. Water rate increased for reactor 2 - Workers at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant increased the amount of water injected into reactor 2 on Tuesday to the highest level since the plant achieved cold shutdown in December as concerns grew over rising temperatures at the bottom of the pressure vessel.
   Following the move, the temperature in the vessel eased to 68.5 degrees by 5 p.m. from 73.3 degrees logged at 7 a.m. Monday, Junichi Matsumoto, a spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power Co., told a news conference.